Catharanthus plant named ‘Sunfs 82311’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Catharanthus plant named ‘Sunfs 82311’, characterized by its compact, semi-upright and uniformly mounding plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely basal branching habit; freely flowering habit; long flowering period; relatively small star-shaped purple-colored flowers with darker purple-colored centers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Catharanthus roseus.

Cultivar denomination: ‘SUNFS 82311’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct Catharanthus plant, botanically known as Catharanthus roseus and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Sunfs 82311’.

The new Catharanthus plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Gifu, Japan. The objective of the breeding program is to develop new compact and freely branching Catharanthus plants with numerous attractive flowers.

The new Catharanthus is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of a proprietary selection of Catharanthus roseus identified as code designation FS24-39, not patented. The new Catharanthus plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within a population of plants of the mutation parent in Gifu, Japan in June, 2016.

Asexual reproduction of the new Catharanthus plant by vegetative tip cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Gifu, Japan since December, 2016, has shown that the unique features of this new Catharanthus plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Catharanthus have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Sunfs 82311’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Sunfs 82311’ as a new and distinct Catharanthus plant:

-   -   1. Compact, semi-upright and uniformly mounding plant habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely basal branching habit.     -   4. Freely flowering habit.     -   5 Long flowering period.     -   6. Relatively small star-shaped purple-colored flowers with         darker purple-colored centers.     -   7. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Catharanthus can be compared to plants of the mutation parent selection. Plants of the new Catharanthus differ primarily from plants of the mutation parent selection in flower color as plants of the Catharanthus have purple-colored flowers with darker purple-colored centers whereas plants of the mutation parent selection have red purple-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Catharanthus can be compared to plants of the Catharanthus roseus ‘Suncatha 2439’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 27,477. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Catharanthus differ primarily from plants of ‘Suncatha 2439’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Catharanthus are more compact than plants         of ‘Suncatha 2439’.     -   2. Plants of the new Catharanthus and ‘Suncatha 2439’ differ in         flower color as plants of the new Catharanthus have         purple-colored flowers with darker purple-colored centers         whereas plants of ‘Suncatha 2439’ have flowers that are dark red         purple in color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Catharanthus plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Catharanthus plant.

The photograph at the top of the sheet is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Sunfs 82311’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Sunfs 82311’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the summer in 15-cm containers in an outdoor nursery in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan and under cultural practices typical of commercial production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 25° C. and night temperatures averaged 15° C. Plants were four months old when the photographs were taken and five months old when the description was taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2015 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Catharanthus roseus ‘Sunfs 82311’. -   Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of a proprietary     selection of Catharanthus roseus identified as code designation     FS24-39, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative tip cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About two weeks at             temperatures about 30° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About three weeks at             temperatures about 25° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About five             weeks at temperatures about 30° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About six             weeks at temperatures about 25° C.         -   Root description.—Fibrous; typically white in color, actual             color of the roots is dependent on substrate composition,             water quality, fertilizer type and formulation, substrate             temperature and physiological age of roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Compact, semi-upright and uniformly             mounding plant habit; freely basal branching habit with             numerous basal and secondary branches developing per plant;             vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 24 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 38 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Quantity per plant.—About three primary lateral branches             each with about six secondary lateral branches developing             per plant; pinching is not required.         -   Length.—About 18 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 4.4 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 5.6 mm.         -   Strength.—Strong.         -   Aspect.—Upright to outwardly.         -   Texture.—Sparsely pubescent; rough.         -   Color.—Close to 64A. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Quantity and arrangement.—About 24 per lateral branch;             opposite, simple.         -   Length.—About 3.1 cm.         -   Width.—About 1.3 cm.         -   Shape.—Elliptical.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Obtuse.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Sparsely pubescent.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; reticulate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 138A.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 143A. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A; venation,             close to 144D. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close             to 143A; venation, close to 144D.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 3.7 mm. Diameter: About 1.2 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Sparsely pubescent.             Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 144D tinged with             close to 71B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Single star-shaped salverform             flowers arising from upper leaf axils; freely flowering             habit with about 340 small flowers developing per plant;             flowers face mostly upright.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flowering habit.—Plants begin flowering about two to three             weeks after planting; long flowering period, in the garden,             plants flower continuously from the early summer to late             autumn in Japan.         -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about two to three             days on the plant; flowers not persistent.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 2.8 cm. Diameter: About 9.6 mm             Shape: Ovoid with cylindrical tube. Color: Towards the base,             close to 145D and towards the apex, close to 72B.         -   Flower diameter.—About 2.5 cm.         -   Flower length (depth).—About 2.4 cm.         -   Tube length.—About 2 cm.         -   Tube diameter, proximally.—About 1 mm.         -   Tube diameter, distally.—About 1.9 mm.         -   Corolla.—Arrangement: Five petals in a single whorl fused at             the base into a tube. Petal length from throat: About             1.25 cm. Petal width: About 6.2 mm. Petal shape: Narrowly             elliptic to oblanceolate. Petal apex: Cuspidate. Petal             margin: Entire; none to slight undulation. Petal texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Throat texture:             Smooth, glabrous. Tube texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color:             Petal, when opening, upper surface: Close to 77A. Petal,             when opening, lower surface: Close to N155D tinged with             N75C. Petal, fully opened, upper surface: Close to N77B;             towards the base, close to 77A; color becoming closer to             N74D with development. Petal, fully opened, lower surface:             Close to N155D tinged with close to N75C; color does not             change with development. Throat: Proximally, close to 145C;             distally, close to NN144C. Tube: Proximally, close to 145C;             distally, close to 145A; tinged with close to 61A.         -   Calyx.—Arrangement: Star-shaped tubular calyx with five             sepals fused towards the base. Length: About 1.4 mm.             Diameter: About 1.5 mm. Sepal length: About 1.4 mm. Sepal             width: About 0.9 mm. Sepal shape: Lanceolate. Sepal apex:             Acuminate. Sepal margin: Entire. Sepal texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Sparsely pubescent. Color, upper and lower             surfaces: Close to 143A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 1.5 mm. Diameter: About 1.2 mm.             Angle: Upright to outwardly. Strength: Strong. Texture:             Sparsely pubescent. Color: Close to 145B tinged with close             to 61A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Five.             Anther size: About 1.4 mm by 0.5 mm. Anther shape: Narrowly             elliptic. Anther color: Close to 149D. Pollen amount:             Scarce. Pollen color: Close to 11D. Pistils: Quantity per             flower: One. Pistil length: About 1.8 cm. Style color: Close             to 144D. Stigma shape: Transversely ellipsoidal. Stigma             color: Close to 143A. Ovary color: Close to 144D. Seeds and             fruits: To date, seed and fruit development have not been             observed on plants of the new Catharanthus. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Catharanthus have been     observed to have good garden performance and to tolerate wind, rain     and temperatures ranging from about 5° C. to about 35° C. to 40° C. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Catharanthus     have not been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common     to Catharanthus plants. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Catharanthus plant named ‘Sunfs 82311’ as illustrated and described. 